As the country's interim government announced democratic elections, Klitschko told parliamentary colleagues in Kiev: “I will be on the ballot”

Heavyweight boxer Vitali Klitschko revealed today that he is to run for the Ukrainian presidency.

As the interim government announced democratic elections would go ahead in May, the former world champion told parliamentary colleagues in Kiev: “I will be on the ballot.”

One of the leaders of the Ukrainian Independence Square opposition, Klitschko turned politician on retiring in 2012, after winning 45 out of 47 fights.

He was nicknamed “Dr Ironfist” due to his PhD in physical sciences.

Klitschko, whose father was a Soviet Air Force major general and military attaché in East Germany, was in charge of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in 1986 and was afterward diagnosed with cancer.

As deposed president Viktor Yanukovych was still being hunted for mass murder today, Klitschko, staunchly anti-corruption, said: "We don’t have much time. I want to make Ukraine a modern European country."

The leader of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform party - nicknamed Punch party - added: “If I can do that through the president’s position, I will do my best.”

Klistchko was among the front leaders of the opposition throughout the bloody weeks in Independence Square as Yanukovych ditched a pro-EU deal in favour of Russia.

And he was there as Yanukovych vanished, accused of mass murder.

A trail of paper unearthed in the Kiev in the Interior Ministry and SBU secret service offices today was claimed to be a "smoking gun" leading straight to the doors of the Kremlin - and linking Russia to Yanukovichy’s orders to use snipers.

At least 88 people were killed in the Maidan on Thursday, most by sniper fire.

The stash of secret papers could also prove gravely embarrassing to president Vladimir Putin because they are alleged to indicate a senior Moscow intelligence figure was in Kiev setting up an operation to wipe out protest leaders in Kiev.

Meanwhile British forensic experts were in the Maidan Square today pinpointing the government sniper’s lairs where the deadly shots came from behind the police and military lines.

The British team, which didn’t want to be identified, told the BBC their evidence could be used in future criminal proceedings - as Kiev said it wanted Yanukovych to face the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

One said:” It was just a bloodbath really wasn’t it ? We’re looking at the sniper positions and who would be responsible for the deaths of the people in that area.”